The silence was deafening.
Keshav spent the first few days in a state of constant anxiety and guilt. He kept checking his phone every few minutes, hoping she would message or call. He replayed the moment his face appeared on her screen again and again in his mind — the look of absolute shock and horror on her face when she realized it was him. He couldn’t eat or sleep properly. Every time his phone rang, his heart would race, only to be disappointed when it wasn’t her.
He tried calling her real number multiple times, but she never picked up. He sent her long messages from his real WhatsApp explaining everything, but she left them on read or didn’t respond at all. The rejection and silence hurt more than he had expected.
For Kalpana, those eleven days were equally torturous. She had been living in a state of shock, confusion, guilt, and conflicting emotions ever since she saw Keshav’s face on the video call. The man she had been secretly chatting with, masturbating with, and sharing her darkest fantasies with for months was her own son. The realization had hit her like a truck.
She had spent the first few days crying in private, feeling disgusted with herself for everything she had done and said. She deleted the account immediately out of panic and blocked him everywhere. But as the days passed, her emotions became more complicated. Along with the guilt and shame, there was also confusion… and something she didn’t want to admit even to herself.
On the eleventh night, at exactly 11:17 PM, Keshav’s phone rang.
He was lying on his bed in his Bangalore flat, scrolling mindlessly through his phone like he had been doing every night for the past eleven days. When he saw the name on the screen, his heart stopped for a second.
Kalpana calling…
He stared at the screen in disbelief for two full rings before quickly answering.
Keshav: Hello?
There was silence on the other end for a few seconds.
Kalpana (softly): …Keshav.
Her voice was quiet, tired, and slightly shaky. It was the first time he had heard her real voice in a very long time without the filter of the fake account.
Keshav: Mom…?
Another short pause.
Kalpana: How are you?
Keshav sat up straight on the bed. His heart was beating very fast.
Keshav: I’m… okay. I guess. How are you?
Kalpana: I’m managing. These past days have been… difficult.
There was another long silence. Neither of them knew how to start.
Keshav: Mom… why did you call?
Kalpana: I… I wanted to check on you. After everything that happened… I needed to know how you’re doing. Whether you’re okay or not.
Her voice was gentle but carried a heavy weight.
Keshav: I’ve been trying to reach you for eleven days. You didn’t answer any of my calls or messages.
Kalpana: I know. I’m sorry. I needed time. I was… shocked. I still am. I needed to process everything.
Keshav ran a hand through his hair.
Keshav: I understand. It must have been a huge shock for you.
Kalpana: It was. When I saw your face on the call that night… I couldn’t believe it. For a second, I thought I was imagining things. But it was you. My son.
